Former Deputy Premier Dr. Kedrick Pickering is of the opinion that he is the best suited for the job in assisting the BVI out of its present issues with his more than 20-years’ worth of experience in politics.
Dr. Pickering made the statement recently as he attempted to explain to a number of residents why he decided to reenter the political arena as a Territorial At Large candidate in the upcoming General Election.
He said, “We have problems. I will be the first to admit that we have problems because I have been around the political arena for over 20 something years and I was an elected representative. But hear me clearly. There are people who have said that I was in politics for 20 years and I should go sit down…but it is those exactly 20 years that I spent in the House of Assembly is why I’m here this evening.”
“I have the necessary experience and the knowledge. I have traveled far and wide representing this country and I understand the bigger issues that are facing this country. So contrary to what people might be saying about those 20 years, those 20 years are exactly what this country needs now. This country needs a couple of men and women along with some of the younger people who are around right now to bring the necessary knowledge and experience so that we can work together to help bring this country where it needs to be,” he explained.
Why I decided to run as an At Large?
Dr. Pickering also revealed why he opted to run as an At Large candidate as opposed to a District Representative in the upcoming election.
He said as an At Large Representative, he will be able to touch more areas across the territory, something he says is more needed now than ever before.
“The 28th of April put this country in a completely different spin and I am sure every one of you will agree that since the 28th of April, our country has been and we don’t know every question and we ask ourselves where are we going, how are we going to move this forward, etc… But after 28th of April and I had to rethink where I am and people keep telling me, suggest to me, I should consider running At Large because I am somebody who has a good understanding of the issues that affect us internationally,” he stated.
“And I’ve done that and I’ve thought about it and so I said to myself, with the knowledge and experience that I’ve had over the years, I think I can better contribute to my country at this point in time if I run At Large,” he added.
Not stupid enough to run as an independent
The former Seventh District Representative also disclosed that he will not be running as an independent candidate in the upcoming election.
While not revealing his intended political party of choice, Dr. Pickering did take a jab at the existing parties, stating that they are not working with the interest of the people at the forefront.
“I think we have arrived at a place where we need more independent thinking people. I’m not going to run as an independent, let me make that clear. I am not stupid enough to think that I could do nothing by myself, I’m not that stupid. But I believe that there is a group of us who will eventually get together, who are independent-minded, not tied to the political party and trying to do what the political party… because it’s clear that they’re not working for us at this point in time. We are in a new time, there’s time for a new paradigm. We have imported all kinds of other ideologies from other places that have not necessarily worked for us,” he expressed.
Dr. Pickering last contested for a political seat in the 2019 General Election under the National Democratic Party, where he lost his seat to the now Premier Dr. the Honourable Natalio Wheatley.